Boxing

The Brazilian Mini-Slugger

By Tom Donelson

14.08 - Acelino "Popo" Freitas is one of those fighters that could attract a big crowd in his native Brazil but at this moment, he is the forgotten champion in the States. Freitas is a legitimate champion and his undefeated record is no fluke. The biggest handicap is that Freitas has had only one defining moment, his defeat of the undefeated Joel Casamayor a few years back. The other great junior lightweight, Floyd Mayweather, went up to lightweight, after he splattered Diego Corrales all over the ring and Diego took a sabbatical due to the beating and to legal troubles because of a domestic violence charge. So Freitas, through no fault of his own, failed to fight two of the three best junior lightweight of his era. The one that he did fight, he beat. To fight Mayweather, he must move up to lightweight and to get at Corrales, he has to wait to see the result of the Casamayor- Corrales bout on October 4th before he can fight the winner.

Freitas, in his fight against Casamayor, showed something that most sluggers lack- the ability to go to plan B. Against Casamayor, he knocked the slick Cuban fighter down early in the fight and then over the last half of the fight, he showed excellent boxing skills as he played matador to the desperate Casamayor. Freitas turned the table on Casamayor and outboxed a boxer.

Most recently, Freitas showed another skill- durability and toughness. His recent battle against Argentina rival Jorge Barrios demonstrated Freitas flexibility against a tough determined foe. Barrios was an unknown quality and Freitas was the easy favorite.

Barrios proved to be a tough cookie as he kept coming forward despite serious cuts around his right eye. Freitas started the fight with the idea of ending the fight early and he threw a series of power punches at Barrios head. There were occasions that Freitas desperation proved wild but his power punches succeeded in cutting Barrios. Barrios own durability proved problematic for Freitas and Freitas, like he did with Casamayor, went to plan B when it became obvious that Barrios was in for the long haul. He once again played matador and countered Barrios.

Barrios put Freitas down in the eighth but Freitas got up quickly and stayed with his game plan. The knockdown was more of a flash knockdown and Freitas recovered very quickly. There are times that a great fighter must be tested and for Freitas, this was in the eleventh round. Barrios, bleeding profusely, decided to go for broke and nailed Freitas with a perfect left-right combination and Freitas went down. Unlike the eighth round, in which Freitas was nailed with a flash knockdown, this was a serious blow. Freitas looked shaken and now Barrios went into the overdrive to end the match. Freitas tried to counter the charging Barrios and it appeared that Barrios had turned the tide. Freitas championship reign appeared to be slipping and Barrios looked ever more like he would be the new king of the 130-pound division. Then suddenly at the end of the round with but a second or two left, Freitas nailed Barrios with the perfect right hand.

Barrios, bleeding and dazed, moved slowly back to his corner and his legs were barely holding him erect. Freitas, like any other great champion, finished off Barrios with a series of blows at the opening of the twelve round. He closed the show and it was a good thing. One judge had Freitas ahead on point and another had Barrios ahead on point. The third judge had the fight even but Freitas found a way to win. Great fighters do and Freitas did not allow the judges to decide his fate. He allowed his fists to do that for him.

While some will say, "look Freitas barely beat a unknown" but this unknown was a quality fighter with power. Others will say that Freitas have been knock down five times in his career but every time he got off the canvas to win. In the Barrios fight, Freitas was knockdown twice but who was holding the championship belt at the end of the fight? Freitas, that's who. Great fighters, when they are hurt, find a way, better yet- find the will to win.

Freitas still has unfinished business to attend to. First, he will probably fight the winner of the Casamayor-Corrales fight and then there is Mayweather. Freitas has already beaten Casamayor and I believe that he would beat the Cuban again. Diego Corrales might prove to be a tough fighter for the Brazilian for he is tall, rangy fighter with power. The only questions about Corrales is how much he has left after essentially a two year layoff and the memory of the beating that he received at the hand of Mayweather. Freitas is ready for the jump to the talent rich light weight division and from there, we will learn more about Freitas place in boxing history. In the lightweight division, he will finally meet Mayweather and a slew of other solid fighters that will allow Freitas to truly test himself.

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